Dayu was a brilliant and ambitious great politician in ancient times. His water control is combined with governing the country and the people. While controlling water disasters, it also guides people to restore and develop agricultural production, develop water transport and rebuild their homes. Every time we govern a place, we take the initiative to unite clan leaders, improve political power construction, and let people live and work in peace and contentment. According to historical records, after the flood receded, a piece of plain surfaced. He led people to dig ditches in the fields, divert water for irrigation, plant crops such as millet, millet, beans and hemp, and let people plant rice in low-lying areas. Not only flood control has achieved great success, but also agricultural production has made progress. Confucius once praised Yu's achievements in harnessing water, saying: I can hardly find any shortcomings in him. His palace is simple, but he didn't want to improve it. On the contrary, he tried his best to level the soil and water, open ditches, develop agriculture and encourage people to engage in labor. (See the Analects of Confucius? Taber's article
Dayu's success in harnessing water established his high prestige. Shun called the leaders of various clans and tribes to hold a celebration party and gave him Xuanzang made of beautiful jade to show his great achievements. When Shun was old, everyone unanimously elected Yu as the leader of the tribal alliance.
Dayu
After Yu succeeded to the throne, the tribes in the Central Plains gradually formed a leading group centered on the Xia nationality. Yu's position in this group has begun to show the nature of kingship. He asked Hao Tao, who was in charge of water conservancy punishment, to make some rules, and all clans and tribes should use punishment to punish those who did not obey orders. Yu also organized a crusade against the Miao people who rebelled many times without listening to education, defeated the Miao army, killed the chief of Sanmiao, and reached the Jianghuai Valley. After that, "the four directions return to it, and the soil is king" ("Follow the Nest" quoted in Taiping Yulan (Volume 823). After Shun's death, Yu Shou-xiao kept filial piety for three years, and still gave the throne to Shun's son Shang Jun according to the traditional abdication system. But "all the princes in the world are going." ("Historical Records? Xia Benji) Yu became emperor again.
Fenjiu Zhou
In order to consolidate the Xia Dynasty, Yu divided the whole country into Kyushu (namely Jizhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Liangzhou and Yongzhou) for management, and he also "saved Nanli River" ("Huainanzi? Spiritual training), southern tour, invited governors to meet in Tushan (now west of Bengbu City, Anhui Province). In order to commemorate this great event, the bronze sent by tribal leaders of various princes was cast into nine cauldrons, symbolizing the reunification of Kyushu and becoming a symbol of the Xia Dynasty.
fame
In the process of consolidating the Xia Dynasty's rule, Yu also paid special attention to the combination of affinity and alienation and strengthened education. Legend has it that there is a tribe in the west called Youhu, which is belligerent and unwilling to take summer clothes. Yu adopted the strategy of conquering with soldiers and educating with morality at the same time, which achieved good results and made Hu finally surrender to Xia. The southeast region was called "Jiuyi" in ancient times, that is, nine larger tribes. In order to strengthen the rule, he sent many missions to the Central Plains to spread the culture and ethics of the Central Plains, which was respected and treated well by the local people. Along the way, he asked the local people about customs, encouraged farming, told them the farming season, sowed grain, and educated tribal chiefs to be polite, know the law, not bully the weak and live in harmony. At the same time, he also announced that those who do not listen to enlightenment will be conquered by soldiers and will never be polite. At that time, Fang Feng, the chief of the ancient Yue tribe, always wanted to monopolize one side, claiming to be the leader of the Yue tribe and refusing to listen to Yu's orders. Yu ordered him to be executed in public at the Miaoshan meeting and exposed his body for three days. Local governors and Fang Bo knew the power of Xia Dynasty and the sacredness of Yu, and never dared to offend them again. Those clans and tribes who didn't attend the court meeting with Yu Wang heard about it, and they also paid tribute to the Xia Dynasty.
Because Yu was the leader of Xia tribe in Chongshan area, he was called Xia, and the first dynasty he founded in the history of China was called Xia. The establishment of Xia Dynasty marked the end of primitive society in China and the beginning of class society, which was an important milestone in the history of ancient social development in China.